鎰 (yì) - Yi — an ancient unit of weight in & used historically for measuring gold and other precious

鎰Tone 4

yì ｜ 18 strokes ｜ radical:

一懿

鎰 · yì

Yi — an ancient unit of weight in China, equivalent to 20 or 24 taels (liǎng), approximately 750-1000 grams;

used historically for measuring gold and other precious metals.

Yi — an ancient unit of weight inused historically for measuring gold and other precious

Usage highlights

Thousand yi of goldYi weight systemGold measured in yiYi and jin measurementOne yi of goldYi measurement standard

Synonyms

  • 两— tael (Chinese ounce, smaller weight unit)
  • 斤— catty (Chinese pound, approximately 500g)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The gold was measured in yi units (黄金以鎰计).
  • Historical texts mention rewards of one thousand yi (千鎰之赏).
  • This ancient weight standard used the yi measurement (鎰制).

Collocations

  • Thousand yi of gold(千鎰黄金)
  • Yi weight system(鎰制)
  • Gold measured in yi(金以鎰计)
  • Yi and jin measurement(鎰斤)
  • One yi of gold(一鎰金)
  • Yi measurement standard(鎰衡)

Idioms

  • Gold by the yi, pearls by the bushel(金鎰珠斛)
  • Wealth measured in thousands of yi(家累千金, 坐不垂堂)
  • Yi of gold cannot buy an inch of time(寸金难买寸光阴)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Yi was an important weight unit in ancient China, particularly for precious metals during the Warring States period.
  • The character appears in classical texts like Mencius, representing substantial wealth and value.
  • As a measurement term, it reflects the sophisticated metrological systems of ancient Chinese civilization.

FAQ